A Ship That Roams The Sea
by Remy'sRose
Summary: Rogue returns home after four years away. What will Gambit's reaction be? Not what you expect. And what does it have to do with vampires? ROMY! Warning: Will contain a few dark moments.
1. Chapter 1

I have not abandoned my other story; I just had this idea bouncing around and decided to get it out.

Chapter 1

She did not know why she felt the need to move clear across the country, she only knew that she had to. The young woman once known only as Rogue only knew that she had to get away from everyone she ever knew. Now she was a normal young woman, Anna Marie Raven, a student at Cal Poly University in Southern California studying photography. She had just turned twenty one and she had not been to her former home in nearly four years. She rarely contacted her former friends, teammates, and make-shift family; just a note to let them know that she was still alive. It was the beginning of December and she had agreed to go back for Christmas break; the professor had asked her to and he rarely did that sort of thing. All the arrangements had been made, she was to fly back to New York the next day and she was dreading it.

It was a beautiful day, seventy-nine degrees and there wasn't a cloud in the deep blue sky. She sat by the pond on campus, there was hardly anyone around because of the oncoming break and she wondered again why she was going to go back to a crowded house in New York where it was snowing. Rogue looked up at the sky again, it was so blue, and it reminded her of Carol's eyes. She shuddered at the memory of Carol and looked back at the pond. Carol was the reason she had left the Institute or at least one of reasons. She hated the way they all looked at her after it happened; as if their eyes hadn't held enough pity before. . . She hated their pity. She hated it as much as _his_ indifference. Yes, _he_ was another of the reasons she had for leaving. The reformed scoundrel/thief that had taken up residence just before that episode with Carol; Remy had pursued her until she relented and they had started a tentative relationship. But it didn't last; he didn't understand what she was going through, he just kept trying to pretend like they had no obstacles at all. She told him he was in denial, he told her she needed to make up reasons why they couldn't be together.

The day her high school class graduated, she wasn't with them; she was in the rose garden with him. They were alone at the mansion when he put his arms around her and told her he loved her; he told her he would give anything to be with her and that her powers didn't matter to him, they would find other ways to touch, to love each other. That had scared her more than going up against Apocalypse and she did the only logical thing she could think of; she ran. She ran all the way to California. She did love him, truly she did and she knew she would never love another that deeply no matter how much she tried. She loved him too much to subject him to a life like that; a sterile, cold, chaste life where the only touch he would feel would be through a glove. She couldn't give him a real life, a family, not even a proper kiss. She had to leave. She had to give him a chance to find happiness. She called him a masochist, he called her a coward, and that was the last time they had spoken to one another.

She had missed him terribly and there were times when she thought she felt him nearby. There were times at night when she would wake up from delicious, Cajun-spiced dreams because she could swear she could breathe in that scent of leather, tobacco and that spicy mix that was his alone. She would wake up because she would swear that she felt his breath on her cheek, his sultry voice in her ear, possessive, gloved fingertips tracing the lines of her face. And sometimes she would open her eyes in that place between sleep and awake because she could see the glowing embers of his eyes staring at her in the darkness. But then she would blink and he was gone. Then she would bury her face in her pillow so her roommate would not hear her cry herself back to sleep. After four years, the pain had not lessened any. After four years, she still wasn't sure that she could face him again.

She had changed a lot and she was sure he had too. The dark, Goth look she sported had softened into an elegant vintage/boho look, her hair had grown out past her shoulders and was usually stylishly cut, and her make-up accentuated her features rather than hiding them. But she had yet to control her primary power; her skin was just as deadly as ever. She brushed her platinum bangs out of her eyes and laughed inwardly, bitterly to herself, noting that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Surely after four years he would have realized that she had done the right thing. Surely in four years, he would have found someone else who could make him happy. As much as she despaired at the thought of him with someone else, she wanted him to be happy and hoped he didn't hate her anymore.

"Aren't you supposed to be packing?"

Rogue looked up at her friend and roommate, Paint, as everyone called her because of her numerous tattoos that covered most of her body. It was also her mutant power; to manipulate the pigment in her own and others flesh. Rogue had quite a few tattoos, courtesy of her friend; small ones that only needed a quick touch to accomplish. Even here, she couldn't get away from other mutants.

"Well?" the pretty, blond girl sat down on the grass across from Rogue and set down the stack of books she was carrying. "Are you stalling again?"

"No," Rogue laughed. "Ah'm nearly all packed. Ah just needed a break from it."

"I think you were trying to think up an excuse not to go back."

"Maybe Ah was," Rogue laughed. "Ah guess Ah just a little anxious."

"Because of him?"

Because of ev'rything."

"It won't get any easier, you know. The longer you put it off, the harder it's going to get."

"Looks like those philosophy classes o' yours are payin' off, shugah."

"I was just going to say the same thing about your grammar classes," Paint said dryly.

Both girls laughed and after a moment, Rogue closed her eyes and lifted her face up to the warm sun. "Can Ah tell y' a secret, Paint?"

"I wish you would."

"Ah'm terrified."

"Of?"

"Of things bein' too different, of things bein' exactly th' same. Of him hating me, of him forgiving me. Ah'd rather keep mah head in th' sand f'r th' rest o' mah life."

"But you know that will never make you happy."

"Ah am so eager to live life," Rogue looked back at her friend and opened her eyes. "But Ah'm so scared of it. Ah don't want to stay in the same place forever but Ah'm scared to move. Ah know that if Ah don't open the sail, Ah'll just end up moving with th' current for the rest o' mah life instead of plottin' mah own course."

"No one ever got anywhere by being frightened all the time and you're not one of those people who could be happy just going with the flow. You need to go back, Anna, and you need to face him."

"Ah know."

"You also know that if you don't, you'll regret it and you'll end up resenting him and yourself."

"Ah hate it when you're right. It's just that," Rogue paused before she said: "Ah just wish mah life wasn't so complicated."

"You can't expect someone with such extraordinary gifts to lead an ordinary life."

"Ah, guess you're right, Yoda."

"Come on," Paint chuckled. "I'll take you to lunch and then I'll help you finish getting packed."

"Gee, you're swell," Rogue teased as both girls stood.

"What's with this swell shit? I'm friggin' amazing."

Both girls laughed as they headed toward Paint's car that was parked nearby, but for Rogue the laugh was half-hearted. She was dreading the next day and what it would bring; she was dreading seeing Remy again and she hated that dread. She knew her only option was to face it all head on and try not to back down or falter from the weight that had been sitting on her shoulders for four years. She needed to lighten that load and going back was the only way to do that. She needed to straighten things out once and for all so she could finally get on with her life.


	2. Chapter 2

Just want to say thanks to all the lovely people who reviewed. **CeMikey111**, **Burning Touch, inTHEgrid, warrior zoe, Leash,** **ishandahalf**; and **RogueFreak**, thanks so much for reviewing. Over a hundred hits and only 7 reviews? Come on guys, did you like it? Hate it? Do you have any suggestions? The title of this fic is from a duet sung by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. They remind me so much of Rogue and Gambit. I know some time has past but I like Jamie as a little kid so he's still about 11 years old here.

Marvel owns these characters. (Did I put that on my last chapter? Oh, well, you guys know right?)

Chapter 2

He was humming. He didn't know how long he had been humming or if anyone had heard him but he was humming, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". Professor Charles Xavier smiled to himself, because that was exactly what he was hoping for. For the first time in a very long time, his students, his children, would all be under one roof again for the holidays. For once, no one would be away at school or out of town; Rogue had been the last hold out and she had at last agreed to come back. He even persuaded Remy to stick around although he had not mentioned that Rogue would be there as well. The two southerners needed to reconcile their differences sooner or later before they ended up resenting each other and they still had a long stretch before them to be carrying around such bitterness. But then, Charles considered, wasn't that what the holidays were all about; burying the hatchet, mending fences and rejoicing in the abundance of loved ones about you?

Yes, he thought as he looked about the decorated foyer of the mansion and the five or six Jamies running about, putting up a few last minute tinsel and lights, that's what it was all about. Jean and Scott had taken some of the younger students to the grocery store for a the Christmas feast, Kitty and Kurt had taken a few others to the mall for some last minute shopping, Ororo was spending the day with Evan, whom had recently obtained full control over his mutation and returned to the mansion to teach as Scott and Jean had. Henry down in the Danger Room with some of the newer recruits and Logan . . . there was no knowing where Logan was, Charles could no longer sense him within the city limits. The house was quite peaceful and the good professor laughed at himself for being so eager to have it filled with noisy students again. The only one not there yet was Rogue.

Charles looked up suddenly at the clock on the mantle and frowned. Rogue's plane should be arriving soon but there was no one to meet her. Henry could not leave the students in the D.R. and there were still some of the younger students like Jamie around the mansion that required adult supervision. No one would be able to reach the airport in time if he summoned them from shopping and Ororo and Evan were in Manhattan. He tried to contact Logan again but he was too far out of range. The Professor's frown deepened, he would hate to have Rogue catch a taxi back but what else was he to do? The front door slammed shut a few moments later and Charles had his answer in the form of a dark, brooding Cajun.

Gambit had stayed with the X-Men after Rogue left but he was not around too often; he was there when they needed him, yes, but it seemed that Rogue had taken a part of him when she had left. He was away frequently, on business, he said, although he would never say what nature of business and he usually disappeared around the holidays. He had just returned from a month long "business" trip and agreed to stay for Christmas, likely, as Charles thought, because he was a bit fatigued from whatever he had been doing. Logan said that he hadn't smelled like anything on their continent but he couldn't tell where Remy had been.

"Remy," Charles called to the young man as he strode past the foyer. "Would you come in here for a moment?"

Remy winced, but not before slamming down his mental shields; he had been hoping to get in unnoticed and he scolded himself for not going in through the window.

"Y' need sumt'in, Professor?" Remy entered with a nod to Jamie.

Jamie sent a nod back and hoped he looked as cool when he did it as Gambit had. He liked Remy; he paid more attention to the boy then most of the other students and teachers. Remy would let him hang around him at times and even let him help when he worked on his Harley. Jamie was the only student who had ridden with Remy, aside from Rogue all those years ago.

"Yes," Charles told him. "One of our Yule Tide revelers has yet to arrive and I have no one to meet her at the airport. I was wondering if you would be able to go and pick her up. I would go myself but there are too many of the younger students here. Unless you would rather supervise-"

"_Non_," Remy said quickly. Some choice, he thought. A crowded airport a week before Christmas or babysitting a houseful of untrained, underage mutants. He hoped he chose the lesser of the two evils. "I'll go. Who's comin' in? I t'ought ev'ryone be here already."

Charles took a deep breath and sent up a small prayer before answering: "Rogue."

He actually reconsidered babysitting. "She comin' back?"

"I finally persuaded her, yes," Charles watched for a reaction but Remy LeBeau had an excellent poker face. "In reality, it did not take that much convincing, I think she was ready to come home."

"Yeah, well. . ." Remy still showed nothing. "What time she due in?"

"Two-thirty at gate fifteen."

"Den I guess I'll be goin' den," Remy said after checking his watch.

"Can I come too?" Jamie dropped his tinsel and ran over to Remy. "I haven't seen Rogue in forever and I wasn't to see her before the others."

Remy looked down at the young boy and smiled; it would be better than facing Rogue alone. "Sure homme," Remy looked around at the other Jamies. "Pull yourself together an' get yer coat. We'll take Scott's car."

Remy and Jamie shared a smirk at the knowledge that it would really piss their fearless leader off if they used his car.

XXX

Rogue tried to quell the mass of butterflies in her belly as the plane landed and she wasn't sure how she had made it off the plane but she had. She was annoyed to note that people where staring. It was winter so there was nothing odd about her being so covered up but she didn't realize that the reason people stared was because she was simply breathtaking. She had matched a deep red, velvet blouse that fit her snugly and showed off a good amount of cleavage, with a pair of dark flared jeans that hugged her curves and a pair of black boots. Her only jewelry was a black ribbon choker with a dark red jewel dangling from it. Her black eyeliner swept up slightly at the sides, giving her emerald eyes a cat-like affect and her lips were stained scarlet from her lip gloss. She was holding her black pea-coat over her arm and had her carry-on bag over her shoulder as she searched for a familiar face. The airport was fairly crowded and she was beginning to get nervous with so many bodies so close by; she checked her hands twice to make sure that her black cashmere gloves were still there.

"Rogue!"

Rogue looked up to see who had called her but was nearly knocked over when Jamie crashed into her, wrapping his small arms around her waist. She looked down into his beaming face, grateful that he had not generated more of himself when he had slammed into her and was immediately comforted.

"I'm so glad you're back!" Jamie told her. "We all missed you so much! We're all going to be together for Christmas now!"

"Y'all got so big while Ah was gone, Jamie," Rogue said ruffling his hair. "But who's here with you?"

" 'Allo, chere."

Rogue looked up into a pair of red on black eyes and the smile faded from her face.

"Remy," Rogue looked at him uncertainly. Did he volunteer to pick her up or was he forced to? Would he be cold and distant or would he be angry with her for returning? She waited.

"Y' 'ave a nice flight?"

"Yeah," Rogue blinked, confused. He was cheerful but seemed unaffected by her arrival; he acted as if she were merely some acquaintance. "It was pretty smooth th' whole way."

"Dat's nice," Remy slid on a pair of dark sunglasses to hide his unique eyes and peeled Jaime off of her. "Y' gonna get de lady's bag, _homme_?"

After they had collected the rest of Rogue's luggage and made it to Scott's car, the two former lovers stared straight ahead the rest of the way back to the mansion. Jamie chatted on like a parrot, telling Rogue all about everything that had happened while she was away. Remy remained silent and Rogue murmured the proper responses to the boy but was barely listening to what he was saying. She was all to aware of the man sitting so close beside her; the man she still loved so much, the man who she thought about and mourned over for nearly four years. The man that seemed to be even sexier and good looking than she remembered. She could smell his cologne, mixed with the scents of tobacco, leather and motor oil from his bike; along with that wonderful spicy scent that was his alone. She wanted to look at him, she wanted to yell at him, she wanted him to yell at her and she wanted to hold him. By the time they reached the mansion, she thought she'd burst. He opened the car door for her and as she got out, she turned to face him, waiting for him to do something, anything.

"Y' can go on inside," he told her. "I'll bring y' bags up."

Rogue just nodded silently and allowed Jamie to drag her inside. Remy watched her until the door closed behind her and a moment later, his cell phone chirped from inside his pocket.

"What?" he snapped as he answered it, his eyes still on the door.

"Y' be alright, _frere_?" came the voice on the other end of the connection. "Y' sound a lil' tense?"

"I be fine, Henri," Remy snapped again. "What you find out?"

"Y' was right about de ceremony. Dey gonna do it right aft'r Christmas. But dere be a problem wit' Sherise."

"What?" Remy had not taken his eyes off the door.

"Dey say dey don' want 'er. Dey say she not, er, pure enough."

"What did dey mean by dat?"

"I s'pose dey know she not a virgin. Dey say dat what dey be needin' f'r de ceremony."

"A _vierge_?" (virgin) Remy's lips curled into a smile. "How lucky f'r us dat one jus' landed in m' lap."


	3. Chapter 3

To those who took the time to review: **Cemikey111, RG Marie, warrior zoe, ishandahalf, inTHEgrid, Burning Touch, musagirl15, Nettlez, Deaira, Southern Loner** (thanks!), thank you all so much, I like to know that people are enjoying my story.

Marvel's characters, I just make 'em do what I want. (MUAHAHAHA!)

Chapter 3

He didn't know what to expect when he saw her again; he wasn't sure what he would feel and he wasn't sure what he would do once he was face to face with her. He hated her, he loved her, he resented her and he wanted her. Then he saw her there in the airport terminal; looking more gloriously beautiful than he remembered and something warm stirred inside him. She had grown up in those four years; her hair was longer, her curves were fuller, her creamy skin still magnolia white but not as pale and her make-up no longer masked her true beauty. He wanted to hold her and he wanted to throttle her. Despite everything; the rage, the heartache, and the bitterness that had filled his heart in her absence, he still wanted her. He couldn't move when Jamie spotted her and ran to her. He wanted to go to her and wrap her up in his arms and if he were a different man, he would have knocked her on that lovely ass of hers. He actually wanted to peel Jamie off of her, a bit jealous that the boy could hold her without any misgivings or fear of reproach.

The closer he got, the worse he felt and he couldn't let himself feel. He could tell she was expecting his wrath and even coldness but he couldn't let himself show anything. The ride home was hell; she still smelled of magnolia and orange-blossom and he wanted to bury his face in that silky mass of curls. He stared straight ahead because he couldn't stand the sight of her. He still loved her and that love had gone cold, frozen by her betrayal and the sight of her had thawed his heart but it also stirred up a fire that wanted to scald her and make her feel the same pain. Was it wrong to want to love her and crush her as he did so? Why was she so beautiful? What power did she have over him that made him love her; that made him hate her?

Again, when she got out of the car, those beautiful eyes looked up at him, begging him, imploring him to do something, say something; hold her, scream at her, take her into his arms or strike her. She waited but still he could give her nothing. He stood frozen in his spot as he watched Jamie drag her inside the house; wishing it were him, dragging her up to his room and he cursed himself for being drawn to her, hating himself for loving her and hating her. Even after she disappeared inside the house, he continued to stare after her, a cold fire burning within him, the fire flickering in a dance of love and hate.

Then he got the call from his brother; they needed a virgin and who more appropriate then her. The virgin goddess he had worshiped for so long, the way Pygmalion had worshiped Galatea; the untouchable ice princess who had sparked such a fire in him. She was perfect; she would be able to put that treasure she held onto for so long, the treasure he desired to plunder above all else, to good use. And at the same time, he reasoned as he brought in the rest of her luggage, he could have his revenge. She would pay for the pain her betrayal had caused him.

He was sickened as he went in and saw the excitement of the others; sickened at the way they fawned over her, sickened by Kitty's loud squeals and exclamations, sickened by the sound of Rogue's laughter and most of all, he was sickened by himself, at the way his body responded to her laughter and the excited flush of her cheeks. He took her things up to her old room after hearing the professor say that it was already prepared for her. He dropped the luggage down in the room, grateful that the sounds of excitement were muffled by the second floor. Looking about the room, no longer occupied by Kitty –she had moved down the hall to be closer to Piotr after they had started dating- he saw that the double beds had been replaced with one queen size with a burgundy velvet comforter and a few pieces of rich mahogany furniture that matched the four poster bed. In his mind's eye he saw her lying in it, bathed in moonlight, her hair spread over the pillows, waiting for him to slip beneath the covers and stretch out beside her.

Shaking the images out of his head, he told himself to leave, leave now before she drew him back in but he had to wonder if he had ever been free from her. Deep inside he knew he hadn't; not all those times he had gone after her, snuck into her dorm room to watch her sleep at night and to trace the contours of her face with gloved fingers just to prove to himself that she was really there before him and that he wasn't dreaming of her as he often did.

'Y' losin' it, LeBeau,' he scolded himself. 'Dis femme's bewitched y'. Y' already made a big 'nuff fool a y'self over her. She drive y' insane if y' don't ferget her.'

Just as he moved to leave the room, Rogue entered followed by Kitty; the younger girl was twittering so excitedly that she didn't see the look that passed between the two southerners. Hers was of great longing and his full of a desire that made her cheeks burn when she felt its full effect. But she also saw the bitterness that was mixed in and felt a chill as he passed her, closing the door behind him with a horrible finality that crushed her heart. Only after he left did Kitty realize the significance of what had occurred. Rogue sat down on the bed, her knees suddenly weak and let the tears roll down her face, unable and unwilling to stop them. He wanted her, but he hated her and there would be no second chance for them; that much was plain in his face. She had seen no love in his eyes. Kitty pulled her friend to her and cried with her, her own heart aching with the anguish her dear friend was releasing.

"H-he d-doesn't love me anymore, Kit," Rogue sobbed into Kitty's shoulder. "Ah sh-shouldn't have come back, he hates me."

"No," Kitty tried to reassure Rogue through her own tears. "He was so miserable without you, Rogue. Everyone could see it, he just wasn't the same without you."

"That's the whole point," Rogue straightened up and wiped away the tears with her gloved hand. "Ah humiliated him. Ah betrayed him and made a fool outta him in front of everyone. Even though it happened when no one else was around, everyone found out and that's what did it."

"No, Rogue," Kitty felt helpless against the despair she saw on the southerner's face. "He's not like that. You guys weren't like that."

"Ah pushed him away too many times and it was so selfish o' me ta think that he would come back to me with open arms and ferget ev'rything that's happened. It's over, he doesn't want me anymore."

Rogue burst into fresh tears as the horrible realization settled into her heart. Her sobs tore at Kitty's heart and into the heart of the Cajun lingering outside her door.


	4. Chapter 4

To **Burning Touch, inTHEgrid, romylover, ishandahalf, Cemikey111, warrior zoe, musagirl15, RogueFreak**, **phycotherapy17**, and **X-storm** thank you all so much for taking the time to leave reviews. I like to know what people think of my stories.

Marvel owns any and all recognizable characters.

Chapter 4

For the next three days, Remy was pleasant to her; simply pleasant and therein laid the problem. He was formal and quite cordial, he didn't tease or flirt with her as he did the other females in the mansion. It was in his nature to flirt with complete strangers and yet she received none of his genuine attention. She did, however, receive quite a bit from the other males in the household, even Scott, who had been engaged to Jean for the past year and a half, buzzed about her to make sure she was settling in alright, seeing if she needed anything, much to the annoyance to his red-haired fiancé and every other girl in the house. Rogue had left a withdrawn, angry, gothic introverted child and returned a lovely, laidback, young woman who smiled often and laughed frequently. She had become one of those women who were so vivacious that the men just naturally flocked to her; her honeyed accent and sparkling laugh were only part of the reason they followed her about. With her vintage-Betty Page style she was like a retro pin-up come to life and they fairly drooled at the sight of her; all of them save two; her adopted brother and the Cajun who barely gazed in her direction.

It was Christmas Eve and Rogue was watching the others frolic about in the snow that covered the backyard from the window of the warm study, a steaming cup of hot tea in her hands. The sun had set some time ago as it does during the winter months and the only light they had outside was from the colorful Christmas light and a few bonfires that Amara and Roberto had set. She was marveling at the fact that, after all the time she had spent there, how close she had gotten to them and how glad everyone seemed to have her back, she still felt like an outsider. Always keeping her distance and never joining in. Remy had never made her feel that way before. They had always kept their distance together and he was the only one she ever really felt close to. He and the other Acolytes had joined after the defeat of Apocalypse but Rogue would have nothing to do with him but it didn't stop him from trying to worm his way into her life. She treated him badly, afraid of him getting too close but after the incident with Carol Danvers, he was the only one who would get close to her. The others had been afraid of her and rightfully so in her opinion, but he never stopped pursuing her; in fact, he was the only one who seemed to understand what she was going through and was always there for her.

Carol Danvers nearly destroyed her. She rallied most of the psyches that Rogue had collected against her; only Gambit, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Shadowcat's psyches stood in her defense while the other's attempted to destroy her from the inside out. One night, Gambit held her for hours just to keep her from ripping her own hair out, trying to relieve the pain they were causing. He withstood their attacks on him when they managed to take control of her body. He even let her absorb him so his psyche could mount a stronger defense of her mind which gave her a few precious moments of peace before he faded and she had to deal with them on her own again. In the end, the professor and Jean had to help Rogue defeat Carol on the Astralplain and the young woman had to be destroyed to save Rogue. The other psyches, with the help of her champions, were driven to the deepest recesses of her mind and held there with no ability to surface until they began to fade. Even then, she would never truly be rid of them.

After the ordeal, she slept for nearly two days in the med-lab and Remy had refused to leave her side until she was awake and he knew she would be alright. Their connection had been a spiritual one that had formed quickly and deeply; in some ways it was deeper than the connection held by Scott and Jean. Neither of them had meant to fall in love, Remy had first sought after her because she had presented a challenge that he couldn't refuse but when he saw what Apocalypse had done to her, how he had used her and after watching what she had to endure because of her powers, his desire for her quickly turned to affection, protectiveness and then to love. He hadn't been lying or dramatizing when he told her he loved her and would have given anything to be with her and she knew it. She felt the same way but there was still the simple fact that he was not afraid of her powers and she was. She wasn't willing to risk hurting him the way she had Carol, so she ran. Now, more than anything, she wanted what they had before, she longed for it with all that she was and she knew he despised her.

Draining the last of her tea from her mug, she laughed to herself that the girl who once lived on black coffee drank mostly green tea now, hot tea in the winter and iced tea in the summer. She smiled as she got up and headed to the kitchen with her empty cup, intent on another cup when she heard voices, two distinct voices, from the front of the foyer. One of the voices was the one she loved most in the whole world and the other was rich, melodious and rather frightening. She crept out, trying to see if she could catch a glimpse of who Remy was speaking to without being seen herself. Remy was facing the man just inside the door with his back to her and the other man took her breath away. He was quite tall with broad shoulders, nearly the same build as Remy but he looked to be a few years older with jet-black hair and dark eyes. His skin however was what drew her curiosity. It was as pale as marble and as smooth as ice, yet it seemed to have a luminous, glowing quality to it. His voice, his presence was intoxicating and she was standing several feet away; it made her want to fall into a deep sleep and dream about a lovely nothingness.

His eyes were focused on Remy, as they were deep in a serious conversation, but suddenly she realized that they had focused on her and she wasn't aware of how long he had been looking at her or how long she had been staring at him. The man said something to Remy but kept his eyes on her and Remy turned to see her standing there.

"Rogue?" Remy brought her out of her dream-like state and back to reality.

"Ah, um," Rogue stuttered, trying to remember how to speak. "Ah was just passin' through an' Ah heard voices. Ah didn't mean to disturb y'all."

"Nonsense," the man spoke with a strong French accent, indicating he was not Cajun. "A woman so beautiful could never be an interruption; a distraction, but never an interruption."

"Y' French," Rogue said and then inwardly scolded her herself, 'Duh!'

"_Oui_," the man smiled. "And you _mon chere_ are _tres belle_. You speak French, _non_?"

"_Oui_," she said before she added. "_Un peu_." (A little)

"Rogue," Remy actually seemed annoyed, whether it was because of the man staring at her or because she had interrupted, she didn't know. "Dis is an ol' friend o' mine, Antoine Guillaume; Antoine dis is Rogue."

"_Enchante_," Antoine took Rogue's gloved hand and kissed it, his dark eyes freezing her in place. She was quite disconcerted because she didn't remember crossing the room to be that close to them but her tongue had become glued to the roof of her mouth and she could only grin what she thought had to be an utterly stupid looking grin at him. She thought she would faint when she felt his finger surreptitiously stroke the palm of her gloved hand before he released her.

"Antoine jus' came over t' discuss some business an' now he has t' be goin'," Remy said pointedly and a bit more annoyed.

"_C'est vrai_," Antoine said, reluctantly. (It's true) "I 'ave a plane to catch. _Mais_ I hope we meet again soon. _Bonne nuit, mon chere_."

Rogue didn't quite remember if she said goodbye or when exactly the two men left for she found herself rooted to her spot and alone in the foyer. She shook her head to rid herself of the dazed feeling she had and once more headed into the kitchen.

"Was dat necessary?" Remy spat as he walked Antoine to his long, black limousine parked just outside the door.

"_Non_," Antoine said as his driver opened the door for him. "_Mais_ it was fun."

Remy snorted.

"She is perfect, just as you said, but are you sure you want to go through with this?" Antoine was suddenly serious. "It's apparent you still care for her, do you really want to put her through that?"

Remy looked back at the mansion before he answered: "_Oui_."

"She is pure, of body and heart, the others will approve." Antoine slid into the car. "She will be the one to set us free. After so many years, we will finally be free."

"I promised you, Antoine," Remy turned back to him. "I'll hold up my end of de bargin."

"Just be sure, this is what you really want, Remy," Antoine said before his chauffer shut the door. "There's no backing out of this once you make your decision."

"I won't be backin' out," Remy said, his eyes narrowing as he turned them back to the mansion. "I made a promise an' I never go back on m' word. I knew what de bargin was when I made it. You an' de others will have what y' want and I'll finally have what I been wantin' for four years."


	5. Chapter 5

To **musagirl15, ishandahalf, inTHEgrid, KillingBellaDonna, Cemikey111, RomyLover, SouthernLoner, TokyoRaven**, **Burning Touch, and Nuriiko:** Thank you all for your reviews. To those of you who are following my other story, Thieves, Assassins and Mutants, I will be continuing with it, I will not leave it unfinished. And in the last chapter when I said that the Acolytes had joined the team, I meant all of them except Sabertooth.

Aww, poor Remy's getting raked over the coals here. So what if he wants a little revenge over they way his heart was mashed under Rogue's shoe and then handed back to him? Or maybe that's not what he's doing at all. Or maybe it is, just not how you think . . . Okay, I'll stop now. This chapter is set to a duet sung by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. The title of the fic is from a line in this song. Let me know if you like it or hate it. If you think it makes sense. Just remember that this is a Romy, a dark Romy, but a Romy just the same. smirk Get your candy cigs ready, Ingrid.

Marvel owns all recognizable characters.

Chapter 5

_**June**: I leaned my back against you, thinking you were an oak,_

_I knew the wind could bend you but I can't believe you broke,_

It took Logan, Ororo and Hank over thirty minutes to wrangle all of their charges back inside the mansion before they caught a chill from the night air. In the end, all it took was Hank's lecture of how the cold air would mix with the perspiration caused by their exertion to make them ill and they all raced in, eager to avoid the lecture. Logan headed into the kitchen mumbling and grumbling about "kids runnin' around like flamin' wild animals and wailin' like banshees", when he came upon Rogue, standing in the kitchen and staring off into nowhere. The faucet was running and she had the tea kettle in her hand but she was staring off toward the window as though in a trance.

"Stripes?" Logan looked over at the darkened window that had her attention and seeing nothing, tried louder. "Rogue!"

"What?!" Rogue jumped, slightly and shivered as though she were cold as she turned her attention to him. "Logan? Ah was just, um, makin' some tea."

"Is that what you were doing?" Logan opened the fridge and peered inside. "Thought you were turning the kitchen into an indoor swimming pool."

"Don't be silly," Rogue said, filling the kettle and placing it on the stove before turning on the fire. "The dining room would make a much better pool, better location."

Logan snorted. "So things're alright with you?"

"Why do y' ask?"

"You weren't in th' best shape when ya left here, kid."

"Ah know," Rogue sighed. "It was just, Ah don't know."

"Cajun spooked ya."

"Was it that obvious?"

"A little. But ya really did a number on him, stripes, leavin' the way you did."

"Ah wasn't sure what else ta do," Rogue sighed again. "And now he won't even speak ta me aside from that awful, fake pleasantness. If only he'd yell at me or ignore me, anythin' but this."

"Life is rarely what we want it ta be, darlin'."

They stood in silence while they listened to the water in the kettle start to boil and soon the high pitched whistle began to squeal, demanding attention but no one turned off the flame.

"That generally means it's done, kid," Logan said, turning to Rogue, unable to find anything he wanted in the fridge but he saw that she was once again looking off into space. "Rogue!"

"What? Oh!" Rogue shut off the flame. "Sorry, I was just thinkin' 'bout somethin'."

"The Cajun?"

"Yeah," Rogue looked a bit sheepish. "Ah was jus' wonderin' what he was up to with that Frenchie."

"Who? The Cajun have a girl here?"

"No, there was a man here just a little while ago, a Frenchman, said he was an ol' friend o' Remy's and they were discussin' business. Ah was just a lil' curious, is all."

"There was someone else here?" Logan gave a tentative sniff.

"Yeah," Rogue poured the hot water over the tea bag in her mug. "He was a lil' odd an' intense. If that makes any sense."

"No more than someone being here that I couldn't smell," Logan said gruffly. "There's no foreign scent in this house."

XXX

_**Johnny:** No, the wind could never break me,_

_Only your false love._

She was confused; to say the least and she really didn't want to think about it anymore. She didn't want to think about anything she told herself as she suited up in a plain black cat suit, she didn't remember what she had done with her old X-Men uniform and this one made of a tight lycra/spandex that covered her except for the v-shaped neckline that went fairly low, but she was alone so she didn't worry about it. Rogue decided that it was good enough for a light workout in the Dangeroom; she hadn't stepped into that room in four years and the only workouts she had been doing were the ones she had done at the gym every other day; those weren't nearly as rigorous but she had taken up a lot of other sports like surfing and rock climbing. She just needed to work off some steam right now and take her mind off of everything, even if it were just for a little while. She loaded a light workout into the computer and stepped into the dull gray room that begun to change into a sunny beach setting.

_**June:** Honey, I've been true, I swear by God above._

Out of nowhere her holographic attackers appeared and charged at her. She just wanted a distraction and what better to distract her than some run of the mill goons to beat up. She beat them with little effort and stood amid the heap of bodies with satisfaction. Her heart was beating pleasantly and she had worked up a slight sweat; she decided to run the scenario again at a higher level when she noticed movement to her right. Turning, her stomach dropped as she beheld the very man she had been trying to forget for a few moments.

_**Johnny:** I thought you were a willow,_

_But you never wept for me,_

_You went roaming in the wild woods,_

_Like a ship that roams the sea._

"What's da matter, _chere_?" he said dryly. "Y' get soft over dere in de O.C.? Dis all y' can handle anymore?"

"Just wanted a light workout, Cajun," Rogue tried not to think about how good he looked in his uniform and ever present leather duster. "Just 'nough ta break a sweat."

_**June:** The willow tree is fickle,_

_And it weeps in the morning dew,_

_My love is a pine tree,_

_And that's the only tree that's true._

"Dat made y' break a sweat?" Remy sneered, but his eyes raked over her, taking her in, sending a shiver down her spine. "De Rogue has gone soft."

_**Johnny:** If I was mistaken then take my eyes away,_

_You made a bed in the wild woods,_

_And that's where I saw you lay._

"Soft?" Rogue was so glad he had finally dropped the phony, pleasant demeanor that she couldn't help but egg him on. "If'n Ah wanted soft Ah woulda gone inta yer files and tried a few a your exercises."

_**June:** Honey, your eyes deceived you,_

_It's true I touched the ground,_

_But I never slept there,_

_I never let my long hair down._

"Mine?" Remy and Rogue began to circle each other, albeit unconsciously. "I don' t'ink y' find me very soft, _chere_."

"Y' talk th' talk, swamp rat," Rogue jeered. "Lessee how ya walk th' walk."

"Is dat a challenge?" Remy shook off his coat and Rogue had to hold in the gasp that threatened to escape when she saw how his uniform hugged his tight, cut form. "Don' be throwin' out challenges y' can't meet."

"Bring it, Cajun."

"As de lady wishes," Gambit said and launched himself at her.

_**Johnny:** Love is like a thornbush,_

_Touch it and you will find,_

_You'll prick your fingers,_

_And leave the sweetest flower behind._

She had grown soft; she was having trouble keeping up with him and he seemed to be taunting her. She had to use all her skills to avoid his attacks but she was too slow to grab a hold of him.

_**June:** Love, oh love, behold what you've done to me,_

_You set me adriftin',_

_Like a ship aboard the sea._

Remy came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her chest trapping her arms to her side. She used her super strength to break free and used his own weight against him to flip him over her shoulder but as he fell, he grabbed her ankles, pulling her down as well, swiftly pinning her down before she could sit up.

_**Johnny:** Yes, a ship there is, I see you,_

_And you belong to me. _

Rogue struggled for a moment before she had to resort to her strength again to get Remy off of her, liking a bit too much the feel of his weight on top of her. They both stood, glaring at each other and circling again before Rogue shot a fist out at him.

_**June:** My love is the ocean,_

_A deeper love cannot be._

Remy caught her wrist and twisted it behind her back, just hard enough to try and pin her again. She fell to her knees, trying to throw him off balance again but he was prepared this time, letting go of her and springing over her bent form as though they had been playing leap frog.

_**Johnny:** Well, I guess I was mistaken,_

_And woman, I want you back,_

_You never have left my heart,_

_Now, honey-baby, that's a fact._

Rogue sprang up only to have a kinetically charged card threw her against the wall and Remy pinned her against the wall with his own body before she could retaliate. She was torn; she wanted to feel his body against hers, the suit she wore was so thin that she could feel the heat radiating off of him and seeping into her bones. He saw her disconcerted feelings in her eyes and leaned in close until their faces were just millimeters apart.

"Y' give up, _chere_?" he said in a low seductive tone. "Or y' gonna use yer powers t' break free 'gain?"

Her cheeks flushed and not all of it was from the exertion. She was insulted that he thought she couldn't win this without her powers; but so much of her wanted to stay that way with him. Her pride got the upper hand as she held onto his arms and used them as leverage to wrap her lags around his waist and throw her weight against him so he tipped backwards and he fell on his back with her on top.

_**Both:** Come to me, Pine Tree, _

_And we will never part,_

_We'll put our roots down,_

_Deep in each other's hearts._

They struggled, Rogue using only a portion of her strength, and the rolled over, struggling for dominance over the other. Gambit gained the top position and pinned her arms up over her head and Rogue bucked her hips against him, trying to dislodge him. His eyes glowed with a breathtaking mixture of anger and lust as her hips bucked against his and when she felt his arousal growing hard against her she was both aroused and outraged herself. She used her legs again to roll them over so she was on top again.

_**Both:** Come to me, Pine Tree,_

_And we will never part, _

_We'll put our roots down,_

_Deep in each other's hearts._

Rogue planted her knees on either side of his hips and pushed his shoulders down, seemingly winning the match. Gambit smirked as he watched her, his eyes hooded; she looked triumphant but he knew that look in her eyes, of lust and need. Sliding his hands up her thighs her clutched her hips and pulled her against his arousal so she could feel what he was feeling, so she could admit to herself what she was feeling. She gasped, her pupils dilating with her want.

_**Both:** Come to me, Pine Tree,_

_And we will never part,_

_We'll put our roots down,_

_Deep in each other's hearts._

"Dat make y' break a sweat, _chere_?" Remy whispered huskily as he pulled her upper body down against his. "Or y' need more stimulation?"

Before she could respond or even think, he pulled her head down and forcefully claimed her mouth with his.


	6. Chapter 6

A big thank you to my reviewers: **Cemikey111, warrior zoe, musagirl15, ishandahalf, nuriiko, Professor Horatio Hufnagel,** (virgin hustler, that's great! I'm gonna have to try and fit that in somewhere.) **Southern Loner** (I can't answer that one without giving it away, one way or the other.) **X-Storm, sakura5tar, Burning Touch, MidniteAngelGoth, inTHEgrid, Taco Bell 14, Monday's Angel, and Nettlez! **Your reviews inspire me to update as much as I can. Thanks so much! This is a short chapter, but, it is what it is. (evil grin)

**Disclaimers: **Marvel owns all unrecognizable characters. This is rated M for a reason, all you younglings might want to skip this chapter.

Chapter 6

Rogue froze and waited for that familiar feeling of her powers; but all she felt was the heat from his kiss. She pulled away, reluctantly but thoroughly confused to see a knowing smirk spread across his handsome face. Damn him for being so good looking, she thought. She tried to sit up but he still held her against him and her movements sent lovely sensations through both of them.

"Confused, _chere_?" Damn that smirk!

"How did ya do that?"

"Shall I demonstrate it again?"

"Damn it, Remy! Ah just-"

"Look where we are, _chere_."

Rogue looked around her and found that they had wrestled their way into a small alcove at the far end of the Dangeroom that had not been there four years ago and there was a small panel with a few buttons and a flashing red light.

"What is this?" Rogue asked, wishing he would release her. "What's that light for?"

"Somet'in' Forge built t' help us train f'r all kinds o' battle conditions. Dere be a small force shield dat you can't see cuttin' dis here alcove off from de rest o' de room. It negates de powers of any mutant dat steps inside. We press dat red button next t' de red light an' it spreads t' de entire room."

"So that's how y' were able t' kiss-" her speech was cut off as he curled his fingers in her hair and pulled her mouth back down to his.

It took her a moment to realize that he had rolled them over again so that he was once again in the top position but it only delighted her more to feel his delicious weight atop her. His bare hands caressed her face and neck as his mouth slanted over hers again and again, bringing out a small moan from the back of her throat. She tugged her gloves off and threw them aside so she could feel the bare flesh of his face, the day's worth of stubble on his chin with her bare fingers. She whimpered softly as his mouth traveled down to her throat and devoured the silky skin there; she tangled her fingers in and out of his hair and stroked the back of his neck as she tilted her head back to give him better access to her own. She tried to stay coherent through the waves of sensory overload that swept through her as his hands began to roam her body. His hands cupped her breasts through the thin fabric of her suit and molded them to shape with his hands and she writhed beneath him and cursed the fabric between them.

With exquisite slowness and forcefulness, his hands stroked the length of her; from her sides and ribs, to her hips and thighs. He was an expert; he knew exactly where to touch and how much pressure to use so when his right hand went up the inside of her thigh, she was nearly mindless and quivering with her need. He began to stroke her through her suit and she squirmed beneath him, wanting to rid them of all the barriers between them, namely their clothes.

"Ah want to feel you," she whispered as he kissed her jawline. "Please, Remy? Ah want t' feel all of you."

"Is dat what you really want, Rogue?" Remy said in between kisses to her throat and collarbone, his breath sending shockwaves through her.

"Yes," she whimpered as he began to stroke her in a steady pattern. "Ah want to feel you. Ah want you to take me, make love to me."

"Make love?" Remy nibbled and kissed his way down her chest. "Are you sure dats what y' want, _mignonne_?"

"Yes," she said again, nearly losing herself to his ministrations. "Ah want t' make love with you. Ah love you so much, Remy, Ah was so dead inside without you. Ah missed you so much."

"Did you?" His hand increased its speed and pressure against her as he bit into her collarbone, harshly, but it was not enough to hurt her. "Do y' still love me, Rogue?"

"Y' have to know Ah still do, baby," Rogue arched her back, and wrapped her legs around his waist, her hips moving instinctively to his rhythm. "Not through the suit, Remy, please."

"I waited so long t' hear you say dat, Rogue," he said before he claimed her mouth again. "Please."

He didn't stop and she could no longer hold back the warm tight feeling in her belly that threatened to unfurl like a spring coiled too tightly. She whimpered in a mixture of pleasure and dismay as she climaxed against his hand, and he took her cry of release into his mouth. He went slightly faster as her body convulsed with pleasure, not letting her find peace until she was nearly numb. Tears streaked down her face, ecstasy mixing with confusion, as he kissed her hard and her body still rocked with aftershocks. She lay beneath him, unable to move yet and looked up into the blazing embers of his eyes. Remy sat up and looked down at her, caressing her cheek, softly.

"I missed y' too, _bebe_," he said lightly and stood up. She couldn't speak; she had no words, only tears that fell silently as he walked out of the Dangeroom, its metallic doors sliding shut behind him.

(A/N: laughing evilly.)


	7. Chapter 7

Here are my shout outs: **Musagirl15, warrior zoe, ishandahalf, Cemikey111, inTHEgrid, Burning Touch, Southern Loner (did you review twice?), Nettlez, Monday's Angel, Nuriiko, TokyoRaven, Professor Horatio Hufnagel, RogueFreak, On My Signal-Unleash Hell, Waterfaucet, and X-Storm**. You know how much I appreciate you all.

I don't know if we have to put disclaimers on every chapter but I'll probably keep doing it because I don't really want to get sued. Not that I have any money but hey. . . Marvel owns all unrecognizable characters.

Chapter 7

Remy hated himself; he hated himself for hurting her, he hated himself for losing her and he hated himself more in that moment than he could ever hate her. He hated looking in the mirror every morning and knowing that he was the reason why she wasn't there with him. He hated himself for what he had just done to her; he stood in his room, having made it there without seeing anyone on the way and grateful for the long duster he wore also covered up a problem that had arisen in the Dangeroom. He was painfully aroused by what had happened and in reality he had not intended to hurt her that way. A sparing match was all he had intended; to beat her and hurt her pride but that had changed with her proximity. He had wanted her; he had fully intended on taking her right then and there in the Dangeroom but then she had spoken. She had said those words; she still loved him. The words felt like a dagger through the heart and a soothing balm at the same time. He had dreamed of her coming back and saying those words more times than he could count but when she did; he hated her for them. Please, she had said; another word he longed to hear her say, in so many different ways. Pleading, begging, forcefully, desperately; and she had said it. Then Remy remembered all he had felt in those four years, he ignored her plea and remembered his own plan. He needed her to be pure; he had promised Antoine. He couldn't take her, but there was something else he could do and if it made him feel better knowing he could detach himself so easily from an act that would mean so much for her.

In the end, he only hurt them both, but at least she had some release, he had a cold shower. It had been a struggle to fall asleep that night and when he had, she haunted his dreams. He called Henri that morning, the call was less to wish his family a Merry Christmas and more to arrange his plans; the sooner this was over, the better. After he had hung up he picked up a parcel from a hiding place inside a drawer and crept out his window. It was still quite early and no one was stirring in the mansion, not even Jamie who couldn't wait for morning so he could get at his presents. Remy silently made his way up to the roof and made his way to the spot directly over Rogue's balcony. After seeing her still asleep in her bed, he slipped inside quietly but quickly so she would not feel the draft from the open window. She was even beautiful in her sleep, he thought as he stood over her sleeping form; there was a huge part of him that wanted nothing more than to slip beneath those covers and wrap her arms around her. Leaning in close to her, he brushed a platinum lock of hair from her cheek and stared at her for what seemed like eternity. She stirred in her sleep and he froze, holding his breath until she settled back into her pillow. Knowing that he had lingered too long, he dropped off the parcel at her bedside and left the same way he had come in. After showering and dressing in a black button down shirt, which he left untucked over black slacks, Remy went down the hall to wake Jamie as the boy had requested of him.

"We have to wake up everyone!" Jamie exclaimed, bouncing out of bed and pausing just long enough to put on his slippers. "When everyone is up we can open our presents!"

"I'm sure dey all be thrilled when y' go rousin' 'em all at dis hour in de mornin'," Remy mumbled as he followed the boy down the hall.

"Wake up! Wake up, everyone!" Jamie ran down the halls and opened all the doors and shouted into the rooms at the sleeping occupants. "Its Christmas morning! Wake up, so we can open up the presents!"

The sleepy inhabitants of the mansion rolled out of their beds, mumbling about the early hour but stumbled to their bathrooms to wash up, eager as Jamie but unwilling to show it. When Jamie reached Rogue's door, Remy balked and reached out to stop him but the boy had already burst into the room.

"Rogue! Its Christmas morning! Wake up!"

Remy stood in the doorway as Jamie ran up to Rogue's bed shouting. Rogue was sitting up in her bed, looking breathtaking as always. If anyone could pull off that sexy, tousled look, Remy thought, it was Rogue. Her hair was mussed and her eyes were bleary with sleep; he was at a loss for words as he stared at her. Jamie was still jumping about excitedly but then he stopped and said: "You already opened a present?"

Remy saw that Rogue had already opened the beautifully wrapped gift he had left on her nightstand and was holding his gift to her in her hands. It was then that she saw him, but she did not say a word, she just stared at him with an odd, conflicted expression.

"Wow!" Jamie exclaimed, peering into Rogue's hands. "Who gave you that?"

"Why don' y' go wake de other's, _homme_," Remy told the boy although his eyes were still on Rogue. "Den y' can open y' presents."

"Alright," Jamie raced out of the room and Remy quietly closed the door behind him, never taking his eyes off of Rogue.

For a clock tick, there was an uncomfortable silence.

"Why?" Rogue said after another moment. "Ah don't understand, Remy. After last night . . . And now this, amazing present . . . What are y' tryin' t' do t' me? Are y' tryin' to make me crazy?"

"Last night," Remy began. "I didn' mean f'r dat t' happen. I jus' went in t' spar but ev'ryting jus' . . . I guess it brought ev'ryting back. All de hurt an' I stopped t'inkin' straight. I didn' mean f'r any o' dat, Rogue. I t'ought dat gift could be a peace offerin' an' we could, I don' know. . ."

Remy paused and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Y' were de only woman who could twist me 'roun like dis, y' know dat?"

"An' y' were th' only man who could twist me around," Rogue said, a slight smile on her lips. "Do y' know what you want now, Remy?"

"I wanna get past dis," he told her earnestly. "I t'ink we both do. We lef' dis hangin' f'r too long, _chere_, an' we need t' resolve it. F'r both our sakes."

"Y' right," Rogue said. "That's th' reason Ah came back."

"Not much time t' talk now, eh?" Remy gave her a charming but regretful smile as he gestured to the sounds of the students running down the hall toward the large tree downstairs. "T'night in y' room, mebbe? After dat big dinner de prof. got planned?"

"Ah'd like that," Rogue's smile deepened a bit. "Will y' help me put this on?"

Remy took the pendant he had given her from the box and held it up. It was a beautiful silver cross with an intricate filigree design and a large green stone in the center. Rogue stood and held her hair up as he fastened it around her neck, careful not to touch her bare flesh.

"It's beautiful," Rogue went over to her vanity and looked in the mirror. "That ain't an emerald, right?"

"_Non_," Remy gazed at her reflection. "Dat be a very rare, green diamond."

"A green diamond?" Rogue turned to face him. "Ah didn't know there was any such thing?"

"Like I said," Remy gave her a dazzling smile. "It's very rare. I'll see y' t'night, p'tite."

XXX

The rest of the day dragged on for Rogue, she kept stealing glances at Remy and he was a bit more like his old self around her. Rogue had told Kitty about their meeting later so by noon, the whole mansion knew. After dinner, Rogue made herself a cup of tea and went on up to her room to await Remy. She was never so nervous in all her life and she thought she would rather be going up against Sabertooth at that moment than sit and wait any longer. The other students were loitering about the hallway, attempting to catch a glimpse of Remy going in or hear a word of their conversation. But they wouldn't see him as he took an indirect route to Rogue's room, through her window.

By the time he made his entrance, it was rather late as Rogue had finished her tea and had begun to feel a bit tired. She sat propped up against her pillows on her bed, trying to keep her heavy eyelids open as he approached her.

"Sleepy, chere?" Remy purred and leaned in close to her. "If'n y' not up t' it we could talk another time."

"No," Rogue murmured, wondering why she was so sleepy. "Ah'm not."

Remy came in closer and brushed a lock of hair from her shoulder. "Y' look all tuckered out, _chere_."

Rogue tried to clear her mind that was becoming foggy. Her tea usually helped her relax but this felt different, like the time she had caught a cold and over medicated herself. Her eyelids drooped again and she tried to stay focused on the chresire cat smile on Remy's face.

Her tea! There was something in it! She tried to focus, tried to think clearly but her limbs had gone numb and her body was no longer responding to her. She felt Remy scoop her up in his arms and before her world went dark she heard him speak to her in a soothing voice.

"Don' worry, _chere_. Remy take care o' ev'ryting."

(A/N: There really are green diamonds)


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you, my lovely reviewers: **Taco Bell 14, warrior zoe, inTHEgrid, ishandahalf, musagir15, nuriiko, Southern Loner, X-Storm, Cemikey111 and Professor Horatio Hufnagel.**

**Marvel owns it all. **(I don't think anyone caught my joke in the last disclaimer. Oh, well)

Chapter 8

Rogue didn't want to wake up; it was the best sleep she'd had in a very long time. But as soon as her mind began to swim into consciousness, her head began to ache and as she became more and more aware, that ache grew in leaps and bounds. She shifted beneath the soft blankets and tried to bury her throbbing head into the soft pillows to block out the pale winter sunshine that made the room way too bright. This was the worst hangover she had ever had; how much had she drunk last night? Her sluggish brain began to click; she had only had tea. . . "NO!!"

Rogue shot straight up when she remembered what had happened the night before and promptly clutched her head; it felt like it would fall off.

"This is why our relationship was so fucked up, Remy LeBeau!" She cried out even though her eyes were closed because she knew he would be nearby. "Because y' think that kidnappin' is an acceptable form o' courtship!"

"I flew y' first class," Remy's lazy drawl came from somewhere on her right. "Don't dat count f'r anyt'ing?"

"Where'd y'all drag me this time?" Rogue squinted out at her surroundings and found that they were totally unfamiliar to her except for the lithe, smirking Cajun, leaning against the four poster bed. "We in Naw'lins again?"

"_Non_."

The bed she had been sleeping in was very large and very plush with the softest sheets and blankets she had ever felt. There were thick velvet drapes on the four posts of the bed that were tied back with green satin ribbons. The rich colors of black, dark green and deep purple were prevalent in the extremely large bedroom that was filled with expensive looking antique furniture. It was a luxurious room, to be sure and a glance at the frost covered window told her it had been snowing heavily, wherever they were and a fire was blazing in the massive fireplace; but she was more concerned with the sudden realization that she was dressed only in her camisole and panties beneath the huge mound of blankets.

"Where th' hell are mah clothes?!" Rogue demanded looking about her for any sign that anyone else had slept in the massive bed with her. "Where th' hell are we?! How dare you undress me! Just what're you tryin' t' pull, Gambit?!"

"Which question y' want answered firs'?"

"All of 'em!" Rogue clutched the blankets closer to her.

"Y' clothes are over dere on dat chair," he gestured to a nearby chair covered with a lovely brocade fabric. Her clothes were neatly draped over it. "Didn't t'ink y'd be comfortable in dem while y' slept. 'Sides, not like I haven't seen y' in your, er, unmentionables, b'fore."

"Damn you!"

"Remy was a complete _genitlhomme _when he undress y', I swear. An' as t' where we are," Remy smiled at her glare. "We be in de sout' o' France. In _mon_ _chateau_."

Rogue stared, speechless, for a few moments. "When did y' get a _chateau_?"

"Last year."

"How?"

"It was willed t' me."

"By whom?"

"Antoine."

"But he ain't dead."

"Y' not wrong."

"Remy. . ."

"Why don' y' shower an' dress," Remy walked toward the door. "Dere are some more clothes in the closets. I'll bring y' up somethin' t' eat."

Rogue watched him exit but he turned before closing the door behind him and said: "Don' leave de room."

"But-!" the door closed behind him. "Wait!"

Rogue jumped out of the bed, no longer caring that she had so little on and ran to the door, only to find it locked. She twisted the knob, attempting to break the lock with her super strength, but nothing happened. The door was a thick mahogany and when she beat on it, she realized that her strength was truly gone. She wasn't too surprised, he had probably used some form of the device that Forge had installed in the Danger room and the effects were probably contained to the room. Remy had told her not to leave the room, after all and once she did, she figured that her powers would return. Looking about the room, Rogue tried to find another exit but there was none aside from the four large windows along the opposite wall. She looked out the windows but saw nothing she would be able to climb onto and she wasn't sure if she would be able to fly right away. There was no way for her to gauge just how big the house was but the grounds were huge and they seemed to cover most of the land she could see and it was all covered with snow.

Stepping over to the fireplace, Rogue fiddled with the pendant Remy had given her and warmed her self by the fire while she tried to sort out her situation. Annoyed at the Cajun, she took the necklace off and placed it on the nearby vanity. There was no phone in the room, so she realized that it would be best to play along with him for the time being. Grumbling to herself about insane Cajuns, Rogue stalked toward the bathroom to shower. It was a lovely shower, with expensive soaps and a sunken tub that had three steps leading down to it; she was tempted to forgo the shower and indulge in a bath in the massive tub but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of thinking she was enjoying herself. Wrapping a huge, fluffy towel around herself, Rogue went into the closet to see about some clothing.

She was awed again. The clothes were beautiful, expensive and all her size. There were all sorts of clothes ranging from the practical to evening wear; there were shoes, coats, gloves, scarves, a few cloaks and purses to go with everything. Again she fought the urge to play and went for a simple outfit; black flared slacks, a white cashmere sweater with a deep v-neck and a pair of black boots. She found a case with high end brand cosmetics but for the third time, she ignored the impulse to indulge and left the closet. The only other thing she took was a pair of black leather gloves, she felt a bit underdressed without them.

When she was done, she sat by the fire, brushing out her hair until it was dry and she waited for Remy to return. It had been quite awhile since he had left her and she was feeling ravenously hungry. What could be taking so long? Was this part of his plan to punish her? No, he wouldn't starve her but where could he be? Rogue stood and went over to look at the old tapestries that covered the wall next to the bathroom. There were various medieval scenes depicted and they were still in very good condition, their colors still fresh and vibrant. She ran her gloved fingers over a peacock that sat at the feet of a regal looking lady and was surprised not to feel a wall behind it. Pulling the tapestry aside, she found that the wall behind it was a few feet away and right in the middle of that wall, there was a door . . . and it was unlocked.

"Y' slippin', shugah," Rogue smirked and went through the door.

The hallway she found was dusty, poorly lit and very old. They were not used much and although there were various doors along the way, they were all locked; she had no choice but to keep going along the winding hallway until she found another unlocked door. When she finally found one, she pushed it open and froze when she heard Remy's voice.

"Y' tried Sherise," he was saying. "An' if dis is how it has t' be den dere's nut'in t' be done."

"I still think you should tell her everything," a woman with a strong French accent spoke up. "But you do what you think is best."

""Don't worry," Remy said. "As long as she have de Dresden, she be fine."

"If you say so. Remy," the woman said and Rogue peeked out from around the tapestry to see Remy standing at the landing of the stairs with a lovely young blonde woman. "If you need me. . ."

"I'll let y' know, _merci, chere_."

"_Au revoir_, _cher_," Rogue felt a vicious stab of jealousy as the blonde leaned forward and kissed Remy's cheek before heading down the stairs.

There was the sound of a door closing; Rogue presumed it was the front door and she ducked behind the tapestry again when she heard Remy head in her direction. If she could get to the door she might find a car or some other means of getting away. She wasn't going to play along now that she had seen that other woman there. While she was waiting, she noticed there were more tapestries along the hallway but they were not in very good condition. They depicted a girl dressed in all white with servants all around her and they appeared to be getting her ready for something. Rogue peered closer and saw that the girl was wearing a pendant that looked similar to the one Remy had given her; a cross with a green stone. She moved over to look at the rest of the tapestry but suddenly a rather large hand gripped her upper arm and spun her around. She found herself looking up into the face of a very angry Cajun.

(A/N: bonus points to anyone who looks up the Dresden Diamond!)


	9. Chapter 9

**To all my loverly reviewers: Cemikey111, ishandahalf, warrior zoe, inTHEgrid, ROMY-4-EVA, nuriiko, HopelessRomantic84, Taco Bell 14, Southern Loner, RogueFreak, Purple Kitsune Satsu, Gothic Beatnik, Burning Touch, crystal-gundum, Happy (I'm glad you like it, thanks for your review), Professor Horatio Hufnagel, X-Storm, Nettlez, Fauna Greywolf and strawberrigashes. **You are all so fabulous, I love you all!

Marvel owns all recognizable characters.

Chapter 9

"What da hell y' t'ink y' doin'?!"

Rogue knew he would be annoyed with her for sneaking out but he seemed quite angry instead which confused and frightened her a bit. Not that she was going to let on that she was intimidated by him. He was the one who kidnapped her and if anyone had the right to be angry, it was her.

"Don't take that tone with me!" Rogue shouted back. "Ah'm looking for a way out of here like any normal person who's been kidnapped would! But Ah guess Ah should just be grateful y' didn't gas me this time!"

"How did y' get past dat door!"

"What d' y' mean, get past it? Ah turned the knob and it opened! Y' put a tapestry over it and expect it t' stay hidden?"

"Dat door was locked," Remy said. "I locked it myself."

"Y' didn't because Ah opened it easily enough," Rogue paused and took a breath. "And just what did y' do t' me that mah powers won't work?"

Remy, still holding on to her arm turned and started down the hall, dragging Rogue with him but she dug her heels in, making it difficult for him. He merely picked her up and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and headed back down the hall she had come through. She slapped at his back but it was like a sparrow slapping an elephant, for all the damage it did, he just kept going back toward her room. When they reached her room, he went in and dumped her unceremoniously on the bed before going back to examine the door. He crouched down beside it and Rogue heard him curse as he straightened back up. Without a glance at her, he strode over to the thick, main door and unlocked it with a key he produced from nowhere.

"Horst!" Remy bellowed into the main hallway. "Horst, get over here!"

A few moments later an elderly man in a fine tailored suit was at the door.

"You bellowed, sir," he said in a clipped English accent.

Remy spoke in low tones to the man Rogue assumed was a butler and although she strained her ears, she only caught a few words like: "lock broken", "someone else", and "look f'r anyt'ing suspicious."

"Bring me a new one and leave a message for Antoine dat I wan' t' see 'im as soon as possible," Remy said as Horst was about to leave. "Secure dis place, y' hear me."

"Yes, sir," Horst bowed low and turned to leave again.

"Wait," Remy had turned and his eyes fell on Rogue, still sitting on the bed. "Tell Mrs. Appley t' bring up a tray f'r de young lady."

"Very good, sir," Horst bowed a final time and was gone.

Remy stared at her in silence for a few moments before speaking to her again in a calmer tone of voice.

"Where's de pendant I gave y'?"

Rogue didn't respond but shifted her eyes to the vanity were she had left the necklace. Remy went over and picked up the lovely cross, bringing it over to her.

"Don't take dis off while y' in dis house," he moved to put it on her but she backed away.

"What's goin' on, Remy," Rogue eyed him carefully. "Somethin's goin' on that y' not tellin' me."

"I need you t' wear dis, Rogue," his voice became a bit more soothing.

"Why?" Rogue backed up again but she hit the headboard behind her.

"It's f'r y' own protection."

"What's goin' on Remy?"

"Do y' remember de firs' time I brought y' t' Naw'lins?"

"Th' first time y' kidnapped me? Yeah."

"Do y' remember when y' tol' me dat I did de wrong t'ing f'r all de right reasons?"

"Seems Ah do."

"Well, dis is somet'in' like dat. I promised a lotta people help dat dey needed f'r a long time an' I need y' t' help me help dem."

"Y' gonna tell me what th' plan is?" Rogue's voice had softened.

"I will," Remy sat beside her on the edge of the bed and she did not move away. "I just can't right now. I need y' t' trust me, Rogue."

Rogue studied his face for a long moment before she spoke again. "What does th' pendant have t' do with everything?"

"Someone broke dat lock I put on dat door," Remy told her. "Looks like someone wit' yer strength. Dey want de pendant."

"An' y' want me t' wear it?" Rogue stared incredulously. "So when whoever did that number on th' door- "

"Dey can't hurt y' if y' wearin' it," Remy told her. "I told y' I'd explain ev'ryting but I can't right now, I need y' t' be a lil' patient. Can y' do dat?"

Rogue was silent for another long moment before she nodded, reluctantly. "But Ah want an explaination, Cajun. An' Ah don't like bein cooped up in this room. What is it that's supressin' mah powers? Th' room? Like th' devise Forge put in th' Danger Room?"

"Yeah," Remy said. "Dere also be somet'in' hardwired in de pendant."

"Why?"

"Y' said y'd trust me."

"Just don't take advantage of it Swap Rat."

"See I know y' feelin' better 'cause y' callin' me by dat pet name again."

"Screw you, Gambit."

"Anytime y' ready, darlin'."

Rogue couldn't help the smile that crept out over her features and she was now fully aware of his knee pressed against her thigh.

"Will y' put de pendant back on, _chere_?" His voice was lower and a bit more seductive, catching her attention, making her look up into his hypnotic gaze. "Dis way y' and it are safe."

Not taking her eyes off his, she nodded slowly; he reached up and fastened the pendant back around her neck, his warm fingers brushing her face and neck. He let his hands rest on her shoulders as they gazed into each others eyes. Her breathing hitched slightly but he heard it and a sudden heat spread through him; much like the color that was climbing into Rogue's cheeks and spreading down to her chest. His eyes followed it down to where the collar of her sweater dipped down to her cleavage and she felt his gaze as it left a scorching trail across her skin. They could feel the body heat of the other, even through their clothing; his knee against her thigh. His eyes went back up to her lips and stared at her full pout, hungrily. He slowly leaned in close to her, she couldn't move even if she had wanted to and she was sure that he could hear her heart racing.

Her eyes fluttered closed as their lips met; Rogue whimpered and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. One strong arm wrapped around her waist and the other hand tangled in her silky mane as he slanted his mouth over hers. She wasn't sure of when it happened but she suddenly realized that she was on her back and his body was moving over hers. His lips left a blazing trail as he kiss, nibbled and licked his way down to her throat and his hands began to explore her curves. She sighed his name with such a sweet tone and he wanted to die when he felt her body moving beneath his. Remy slipped a hand beneath the hem of her sweater and pushing aside her bra, cupped her breast, making her moan softly and wrap her legs around his waist.

"Roguey I want you," he whispered against the pale column of her throat.

"Remy," she moaned, his breath on her skin causing shivers to course through her body. "Take me."

His hands slipped down to her behind and pulled her, grinding his hips against hers so she could feel his desire for her. She moaned his name again and ran her hands up beneath his shirt, stroking his hard toned body. Using their combined efforts, they pulled his shirt up and over his head before starting on her clothing. They had just removed Rogue's sweater and Remy was working on her bra when they heard a sharp "Ahem!"

In the doorway stood Horst and beside him, a plump woman in her early fifties with a large covered tray looking quite disapprovingly at them.

"Y' wanna give us a minute?" Remy said, more than a little irritated at the intrusion as Rogue slipped her legsdown from around his hips and looked about for her discarded sweater.

"I have t' go, _p'tite_," Remy said a bit breathlessly, after the two servants had retreated just outside the door.

"Why?" Rogue pouted and pulled her sweater back over her head. "Stay here with me."

"I want to," Remy caressed her cheek and she nuzzled her face into it. "_Mais_, I have t' find out who broke dat lock. I'll come in and see y' later, alright?"

Rogue nodded and he gave her a soft, quick kiss before grabbing his shirt and heading out the door. Mrs. Appley had gone in the room with the tray as Remy came out and as soon as he had closed the door, Horst handed him a strong, steel padlock.

"Did y' find anyt'ing?" Remy asked as he slipped his shirt back on and took the lock from Horst.

"Nothing," Horst fell in step behind Remy as they headed down the hallway. "The boys are still searching the grounds but I doubt they'll find anything."

"Put dis lock on de door in de passage from de inside," Remy handed the lock back to Horst.

"The young lady?"

"She won't try an' run again."

They went on in silence for a few moments before Remy spoke up. "Go ahead an' say it Horst."

"I have nothing to say, sir."

"Jus' say it."

"Very well," Horst stopped and faced Remy. "The problem we had with Miss Sherise, sir, they knew. Are you sure you can trust yourself to keep this young lady in her, well, present condition."

"I gave you an' de others my word, Horst," Remy said, solemnly. "Even if it kills me, Rogue will stay a virgin until de night o' de ceremony."

"I hope so sir," Horst said, before heading back to Rogue's room. "For all of our sakes."


	10. Chapter 10

To: **ishandahalf, inTHEgrid, Cemikey111, Remy's Bride, HopelessRomantic84, nuriiko, Anamarie Chambers, Burning Touch, Prof. H. H , warrior zoe, musagirl15, Southern Loner, X-Storm, Usagi, and gambit-rogue.**

Marvel owns all recognizable characters.

Chapter 10

She waited for him the rest of the day, but he didn't come; she stayed in the room, although she hadn't much choice as Horst and Mrs. Appley locked the door as they left her room. The strong, steel padlock securely locked the door to the passage and the main door was locked with a key; effectively keeping her a prisoner in the room. Rogue tried to trust Remy; he had told her he was trying to keep her safe and that she needed to stay in the room but she had expected him to return at some point. She finished exploring her room and even took a nap during the afternoon but the only visitor she had was Mrs. Appley with her dinner tray. After the tray was cleared away, the door was locked again and she was alone. As she prepared for bed that night, she thought perhaps he would come to her at night, as the servants did not seem to approve of what they had seen before; although, if this was Remy's house then he should be able to do as he pleased, whether the servants approved or not. She lay in the massive bed that night, the only light coming from the fireplace and stared up at the canopy above her; she lay there until sleep finally took her. A feeling of utter dismay washed over her as she awoke the next morning to the lovely winter sunlight and found that she was still alone.

In her dreams, he had come to her and lain beside her, stretching out beside her as he wrapped her up in his arms; but it had only been a dream. She sat up and was startled to see that the fire was still going strong, someone had to have come in to feed it, perhaps a servant; she couldn't let herself believe that he had done it. After about twenty minutes, she finally tore herself out of bed and went to wash up but when she had, she promptly went back to bed, not seeing any reason to get up. Shower and get dressed just to stay in that room for the rest of the day? Unless Remy came in and told her they were leaving, she should just stay under the warm covers. Rogue hated being cooped up; she would rather be somewhere doing something. Since she left the X-Men four years before, she felt the need to go everywhere and see everything; she went on an abundance of road trips, just driving to see where she would end up. Often she would end up at the beach where she would sit along the shore and watch the ships on the horizon. They seemed to sail along with not a care in the world and she longed for that same feeling of freedom; but she couldn't shake that horrible feeling of loneliness. She wanted to roam, but not alone; she would often shake herself out of daydreams of herself and Remy traveling wherever the wind took them. They were only daydreams and she didn't see the point of dwelling to long on them, they just made the ache for him worse. But now that he seemed to want to get back together, maybe they could do just that.

Rogue sighed, closing her eyes, as Cajun-spiced daydreams came into her head and she rolled onto her stomach, hugging the fluffy pillow that almost seemed to smell of her love. Perhaps her dreams were getting a bit too real when she could imagine the faint spicy scent that was only his on her bedding. The door opened a few moments later but she didn't look up, she recognized the sound of a tray being placed on the nearby table but she didn't bother to open her eyes. Mrs. Appley would leave the tray and then leave, locking the door behind her; once the old woman was gone, Rogue would get up and inspect her breakfast.

"Y' plannin' on stayin' under dose covers all day, _chere_?"

Rogue sat up to see the Cajun of her dreams draped lazily in one of the chairs by the small table.

"Only if y' gonna join me, swamp rat," she smiled as her eyes appraised him.

He smirked as he noticed her appraisal. "Y' know I'd love t', darlin'."

"But?" She prompted, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and crossing them for his perusal.

"I have a lot of t'ings t' take care of t'day," he said, looking his fill at her legs and his gaze slowly traveled up to her face. "Dis house don' run itself y' know."

"Maybe y' need t' hire more servants, shugah."

"Mebe," Remy licked his lips as his eyes trailed over her again. "Y' hungry?"

"_Oui_," she said with a smirk and a twinkle in her eyes.

"_Merde_," he chuckled. "I must be rubbin' off on y', _chere_."

Rogue stood and went over to him; she seated herself on his lap, her legs straddling his hips and leaned in close so her face was only centimeters away from his. "Ah'd like it bettah if'n y' were doin' a lil' more rubbin' _on_ me, shugah."

Her lips met his and hungrily devoured them; her fervor surprised him, especially when she bit down gently on his bottom lip before pulling back to gaze at him, that hunger evident in her eyes.

"Where y' learn t' kiss like dat, _chere_?" Remy asked her, a bit out of breath and more than a little aroused. "Y' got a _homme_ on de side y' not tellin' me 'bout?"

Her only response was another kiss, more intense than the last; she parted her lips to deepen the kiss and he took the invitation, slipping his tongue in to meet hers. His hands traveled up and down her thighs as she tangled hers in his fair; there was nothing in their world in that moment aside from that kiss. After a few moments, she tore her lips from his and made her way to his throat just as her hands ran down the length of his chest and arms. Remy groaned as she went to work on his neck and wondered why she had to wait until now to be this uninhibited. All that time he spent trying to get her out of that bell jar she had placed herself in and she picks now, now when he needs her to stay pure. She aroused him enough just by being her; she didn't even need to blink. Rogue's fingers curled into the waistband of his pants and he knew that he had to put a stop to it . . . in just a minute.

"Remy?" Rogue whispered as she brushed her hands over his crotch, an area that had already become animated.

"_Chere_?"

"About th' other night in th' Danger Room," Rogue pulled back and gazed into his eyes.

"I'm sorry 'bout dat, honey," he stroked her hair back. "I didn't mean t' do dat t' ya."

"I just wanna know one thing, shugah."

"What?"

"How's it feel t' be left hangin'?"

Rogue stood, walked into the bathroom, but with a backward glance she said: "Ah missed y', shugah."

XXX

"Are you sure that's what he said, Jamie?"

Jamie frowned at the adults standing before him. When everyone had awoken to find Rogue and Gambit missing, they had assumed the worst of Remy and Jamie was a little angry over it.

"Yes," the boy insisted. "Remy told me that he and Rogue were going away for a few days. He said they needed to talk and that the mansion had too many ears. He didn't kidnap her again."

"We are just concerned, little one," Ororo said, gently. "For them both to disappear so suddenly and not to leave word with anyone-"

"Remy left word with me!" Jamie insisted, frustration evident on his face.

"Calm down, little man," Evan held up his hands in defense of the small boy. "The Cajun's one of us now, no one's accusing him."

"Speak for yourself," Scott stood beside the professor's wheelchair with his arms crossed over his chest. "He and Rogue weren't on good terms this past week; we all saw how he treated her. How do we know he didn't kidnap her again?"

"Because he didn't!" Jamie scowled at the team leader. '_Merde_' Jamie thought, picking up a word Remy used often. 'No wonder Remy called Scott a horse's ass.'

"Hang on, Jamie," Kitty knelt down beside the boy. "I believe you."

"You do?" Jamie looked at her relieved.

"Yeah," Kitty said. "They may have been going through a rough patch but it, like, seemed like they wanted to get back together. Besides, did you all see that piece of bling he gave her?"

"It was probably fake," Scott muttered. "Or stolen."

"I believe you too, little von," Piotr stood behind Kitty and gazed down at Jamie. "I've known Remy longer than anyvon and although he tries to hide it, he has a noble heart."

"_Ja_," Kurt bamphed in at Jamie's side. "Remy was pretty torn up when Rogue left and I think he really wanted to patch things up."

"I just don't see why they wouldn't leave word," Jean spoke up from Scott's side.

"Because that, like, wouldn't have been very romantic," Kitty snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," Evan shrugged. "Let the lovebirds alone. They'll fly home eventually."

"Professor," Scott protested. "Don't you think-"

"The Cajun's been fightin' with us for over five years, Cyke," Logan cut in. "Ya still don't trust him? An' even if he was up ta no good, Rogue's a big girl, she can handle herself."

Everyone looked down at the professor, who had merely been listening with his chin resting on steepled fingers. "Make sure to keep the phone lines open in case they need to call," he said finally.

After that, everyone began to disburse, with Scott still grumbling to Jean who was nodding in agreement, and Kitty watched them all go their ways. She stood in silence until only she and Piotr were left.

"Do you really think they're all right?" She looked up at her handsome Russian.

"_Da_, Katya," Piotr pulled her into his arms. "They just need time to sort things out, away from the prying eyes and ears of zis place."

"You're right," Kitty buried her face in his chest. "I just hope they don't screw it up. You know how stubborn they both can be."

(A/N: I always liked Evan and I always thought that he and Remy would be friends if they had kept him around. I had to include him in Remy's defenders. And I really don't like Scott and Jean.)


	11. Chapter 11

**To:** **warrior zoe, Remy's Bride, ishandahalf, inTHEgrid, TroubledObsession, Burning Touch, Cemikey111, and Prof. H. H., how do you guys know there aren't vampy's there already? Maybe they have been there the whole time. ;-)**

Marvel owns all recognizable characters.

Chapter 11

Rogue wasn't surprised to find Remy gone when she exited the shower; she chuckled to herself that he was more than likely taking a shower of his own, but that still left her very bored. She tried the main door and wasn't surprised to find it locked; she went over to the door behind the tapestry and examined the lock. Shaking her head, she went over to the vanity table and searched the drawers; finding what she sought, she went back to the passage door. Remy was a thief, a good thief knew how to get out of tight situations and/or locked rooms; this lock would be no obstacle for a thief of Remy's caliber. Fortunately for Rogue, She had absorbed Remy's psyche many times and had retained a few abilities; such as lock picking. She could have gone out the main door, but not knowing the layout of the house, she was at a disadvantage and she ran the risk of someone seeing her in the main hallway; the passage gave her protection from being spotted. Making short work of the padlock, Rogue slipped out into the dim passage and shut the door quietly behind her.

The other doors along the narrow hallway were still locked and she noticed a few other connecting corridors that she hadn't seen before. She decided to follow them to see where they lead but she suddenly remembered the tapestry down toward the end of the main corridor; she crept along toward the spot she remembered seeing it. When she came upon the old tapestries, she nearly gave out a cry of surprise but remembered herself in time and remained silent, lest anyone be near enough to hear her. The rest of the tapestries had been completely destroyed. They hung in tatters on the wall and looked as if Wolverine had been at them; the only one in tact was the first one she had glimpsed the day before. Someone had come in after she had been locked back in her room and ripped them to shreds. They were so old and frayed where they had been torn, that there was no way for her to piece them together to make out what had been on them. She went back to the first one and studied it; noting the girl and the detail on the tapestry.

The gown the girl was wearing had a medieval appearance; long and white with a golden corset over the bodice from just below the breast to below the waist and golden flowers on the pristine background of the gown. The collar or the gown dipped into a deep v, and the sleeves from shoulder to elbow appeared to be golden chain mail. From her elbow, the sleeves flared out and gave the appearance of being translucent. Another piece of the golden mail wrapped around the woman's hips, just below the corset. The tapestry was nearly life size and Rogue was in awe at the detail of it. The tall slender woman herself was beautifully captured and Rogue soon found herself in awe of the woman's beauty. She was pale with lovely arched brows, full lips and large eyes, nearly as green as Rogue's own but they seemed a bit more hazel. The woman's golden hair was pulled back from her face but left to cascade down her back in rippling waves. She looked like an angel; or at least what the Southern-Baptist raised Rogue thought an angel should look like. Only the wings were missing.

The expression of this would-be angel was captured just as beautifully; she looked peaceful, yet at the same time, sad but resigned to this sadness. It was as if this angelic creature were witnessing the evil of mankind but unable to put a stop to it and could only look down upon them with pity; yet there was an understanding in her eyes that Rogue couldn't understand. The pendant that hung around her neck seemed almost dull in comparison to her. Finally tearing her eyes from the woman, Rogue took in the rest of the tapestry and found that the servants around the woman were not embroidered in such detail; they looked odd and generic as though they didn't matter in the scheme of the picture. There was a man standing off to the side, however, whose clothing was done in great detail except that he had his back turned and his face could not be seen. His hair in contrast to hers was black and he wore darker colors. The scene around him was not as light as it was around the woman, as though he were shrouded in darkness despite the fact that the scene seemed to be set during the day. One detail about the man seemed to pop out to Rogue; it was a long sheathed dagger at his side; it had green gems on the hilt and was done in such a way that it drew the eye's attention to it.

Rogue stood back to take in the work of art as a whole and was startled to see something else in the woman's eyes; it was a look of love. Disappointed love?

"_Why have you done this, beloved?"_

Rogue jumped back, startled and looked around, sure that she had been caught. But she was still all alone in the dim corridor.

'_Y' losin' it, gal_,' Rogue thought to herself with a soft chuckle and tried to rub away the gooseflesh that had suddenly arisen on her arms. '_Y' been cooped up in this spooky place too long_.'

Deciding that she needed some fresh air, she set about looking for a way out and finally chose to go down one of the other corridors since all the other rooms were locked. She probably could have picked those locks too, but she wasn't sure if they were occupied and for some odd reason, she had a feeling that there was an exit nearby. She went along for awhile until she came to a set of three stairs leading into another room; after testing the door and finding it unlocked, she entered. Another surge of goose bumps went over her as she felt a strange sense of déjà vu nearly overwhelmed her. She looked around the dusty, decapitated and cobweb covered room and wondered why it seemed so familiar. It was obvious that no one had been in this room for a very long time and yet she knew it as well as she knew her room back at the mansion. The room was decorated in the style of a medieval bedchamber but it had been renovated recently as the walls and floors were quite sturdy. The furniture however was nearly rotted and destroyed, eaten up by moth and time seemed to be that of royalty, you could still see that it all been very fine once and very feminine. It was all but ruined but in good shape for things that had to be at least over three hundred years old.

Rogue stepped forward, although her first instinct was to turn around and go back the way she came, but she was compelled to go further in the room. She was drawn to the vanity that resembled the one in her room and touched the table top; it was still covered with bottles and jars, their content long gone but laid out as they had been left. She looked up at the old, cracked mirror and could not hold back the scream that escaped her throat.

It was not her reflection that stared back at her, but the girl from the tapestry.

(**A/N:** I almost left you hanging here, aren't you glad I didn't?)

"Lady Olivia?"

Rogue jumped when she heard a familiar voice call out and looked up to see Mrs. Appley, dressed in fifteenth century clothing, standing beside her.

"Are you well, my lady?" Mrs. Appley asked her eyes full of concern. "You look as though you've seen a haunt."

'_A haunt?_' Rogue thought before words came unbidden from her mouth: "Aye, Vina, I was merely dreaming."

What surprised Rogue more than the words that came out of her mouth was the voice that spoke them; it was a soft, soothing voice with a welsh lilt and it was not her own. She looked about her and noticed that the room was no longer dusty and dilapidated; the furnishings looked brand new and the other girl was still staring back at her through the now polished mirror.

"Now that is most certainly allowed for a young bride," Mrs. Appley, or Vina, apparently, said as she brushed the long golden curls that seemed to be attached to Rogue's head.

There was a knock at the chamber door and before Rogue could wonder why she considered the room a chamber, Horst appeared at the door, also in period clothing.

"Everything is prepared, my lady," he said, bowing. "My lord will be up shortly to escort you to the banquet."

"Thank you, Horst," Rogue felt her head dip in a slight nod to thank and also dismiss the man.

"We are all so happy for you, my lady," Vina gave her a tight squeeze and left the room with tears in her eyes.

When she had gone, Rogue shifted her gaze back to the mirror and stared at the girl, who now seemed like a separate entity again.

"_You are in danger here_," Rogue heard the voice but the girl's lips did not move. "_I can help you but you must help me first_."

"Who are you?" Rogue said, her voice not rising above a whisper.

"What are you doing in here?!"

The spell around Rogue shattered suddenly and she was back in the rotting chamber once again. She stood and turned to see an angry Vina, standing in the doorway in her modern day clothes.

"Vina?" Rogue gasped, feeling a bit disoriented and looking about her, trying to get her bearings.

"H-how did you . . . ?" the older woman turned pale and clutched her heart as though it hurt. "Your eyes . . . Lady Olivia?"

"Oh, God!" Rogue clutched her head and shook it, shutting her eyes tight in an attempt to make sense of what had just happened. "What's happening to me?!"

"My dear," Vina, or rather Mrs. Appley reached out to her.

"Don't touch me!" Rogue shrieked and backed away. "Why are you all doing this to me?"

She didn't know what terrified her more, the strange phenomenon that had just occurred, or the fact that the last part of her speech was not her voice, but Olivia's. The room seemed to be closing in on her and she needed to get out; racing past Mrs. Appley, Rogue tore from the room and out through the hallway to where she knew the front door was. Taking the stairs two at a time, Rogue ran past a startled Horst and as she reached the massive front door, she thought she heard Remy shouting to her. Once out of the door, Rogue did not cease her flight until she had reached a nearby grove of trees and her legs nearly gave out on her. She crouched down against a tree and tried to catch her breath; this was difficult as it was the middle of winter and she was standing ankle deep in snow in only a light sweater, jeans and boots. It was so cold that she was having trouble breathing because she was shivering so hard.

"Oh, G-God, Remy," she said aloud through her shivering. "W-what th' h-hell have y' g-got-ten me into?"

"Y' 'ave no idea, luv," a gruff voice answered her from behind.

(A/N: review please.)


	12. Chapter 12

**Look! It's a shirtless Remy holding a bottle of Chocolate sauce! Do I have your attention now? Yes? Good, here we go.**

Thanks to: **warrior zoe, inTHEgrid, Remy's Bride, Cemikey111, ishandahalf, musagirl15, RogueFreak, Monday's Angel, Burning Touch, romylover, GAMBIT-ROGUE, X-Storm, HopelessRomantic84, Shenelle and Kiana Epona**, for taking the time to leave reviews.

Marvel owns all recognizable characters, I sadly own very little; but I put Remy on my Christmas list.

Chapter 12

She was disoriented; otherwise it wouldn't have happened and she would be standing over a pile of beaten thugs instead of pressed against a huge tree by the smelly ring-leader of some two-bit gang with a very sharp dagger pressed to her throat. He smelled of stale beer and was in need of a shower; he was probably in his late thirties but his hairline was receding rapidly and the rest of his gang, five in all, had the same look to them. They all had the same cockney British accents that made Rogue wonder why there were so many British people in the South of France.

"I guess good things do come to those who wait, eh boys?" the leader laughed. "We 'eard tell dat LeBeau an' Antoine 'ad a precious jewel 'oled up in that there 'ouse. But," his face took on a revolting leer as he looked her up and down. "Were they talkin' 'bout that bauble 'round ya neck or you?"

Their lascivious stares and cackling merely served to annoy her; while ugly, smelly leader man was laughing it up, Rogue brought her knee up and she hit her mark between his legs dead on. The man howled in pain as he released Rogue and she took off, dodging the other men. Running in so much snow proved too difficult for her as she did not make it more than a few feet away when she received a heavy blow to the back of her head and sagged to her knees from the pain. Black spots swam before her eyes as she tried to stand again but rough hands grabbed her from behind.

"Look 'ere y' lil' bitch!" the leader said through gritted teeth as two of the other men slammed her against another tree and made more pain explode through her as her skull bounced back against the trunk. "We was jus' going t' take the gem but you wanna play rough." Through her bleared vision, Rogue saw the man pull out a long knife from his boot. "Let's see what you're really made of, luv."

"No, mate," the man on Rogue's right ran a gloved finger down the side of her face and over her throat. "I say we find out if she really is a virgin; the fun way."

Rogue wanted to vomit; she wasn't sure if it was from the blow to her head or his suggestion or maybe a little bit of both. She never got the chance though as suddenly, the forest around them erupted in explosions stemming from a very familiar looking magenta energy, causing the men to let her go and as Remy jumped from the trees overhead to land beside her.

"Prolly not de bes' offer y' had all day, eh _chere_?" he said as he caught her before she could fall on her face.

"Took y' long 'nuff," Rogue slurred as she tried to prop herself back against the tree.

After Remy's initial assault, the men regrouped and came at him; leaving Rogue to sag against the tree, hoping she didn't vomit from the pain. She was pretty tough; normally with her powers, she wouldn't have needed Remy, she wouldn't have been hurt by a blow to the head and she would have at least been able to stand and fight beside Remy. The second blow to her head had made the pain nearly unbearable and her knees finally gave out beneath it. She doubled over and as she fought to stay conscious, she thought she heard someone whisper: "_Stay out of the house!_"

XXX

Swimming back to consciousness, she struggled to open her eyes; there was silence around her and she was no longer freezing. Rogue shifted slightly and knew that she was back in her room and in her bed. She made out the crackling sounds and smells of burning wood as she finally opened her heavy lids. She groaned as a dull ache shot through her head she suddenly wanted to go back to that blissful state of unconsciousness.

"Y' awake _chere_?"

"Remy?" Rogue squinted through the darkness; the only light in the room was from the fire. She made out his form standing by the mantle and after a moment, he came to stand beside her bed.

"Y' been asleep f'r almost nine hours now," he ran the back of his fingers along the side of her face and even slightly disoriented, the sensation gave her goose-pimples. "Y' had a slight fever too, but it break awhile ago."

"Don' pretend y' concerned," Rogue joked weakly. "Ah'm alright. Ah think."

"'Course y' are," his thumb traced the column of her throat. "Take more den a bump on de head t' take y' out, _hein_?"

"It was two bumps but who's countin'?"

Remy chuckled. "Y' need anyt'ing?"

"Water."

Remy helped her sit and handed her a glass of water from the bedside table. She was able to drink half of it before she felt a bit nauseous and handed it back.

"Y' hungry?" he asked her as he helped her lay back down.

"No," she said more weakly than she would have liked. "Who were those men?

"People who don' like me much."

"What happened?"

"Taught dem a lesson in etiquette."

"They certainly didn't know how t' treat a lady."

"Dey know better now. Y' sure y' alright, darlin'?"

"Ah had th' strangest dream."

"Y' dream y' went back in time, Mc Fly?"

"No," Rogue couldn't help but smile at the movie reference, and then she frowned trying to remember. "It was about this girl . . . an' me."

"A girl? Y' getting' Remy excited."

"Pig."

"It was your dream."

"It wasn't like that, I was her or she was me," Rogue furrowed her brow, trying to wade through her fuzzy memory. Her eyes shot wide open and she sat up as she remembered. "It wasn't a dream!"

"_Non_," Remy sighed. "It wasn't."

"What's goin' on 'round here, Remy? Who's Olivia?"

Remy sighed again and sat down on the side of her bed. "She used t' live here."

"Used to? Where is she now? What is she that she can do what she did earlier."

"She be a mutant. A telepath."

"A pretty strong one if she got through mah shields."

"Dat she is. Got some pretty strong telekinetic powers too."

"She said Ah was in danger."

"She also paranoid."

"This doesn't make any sense, Remy. That room Ah was in, those tapestries, they all look pretty old. How is she-?"

"Y' remember de astral plane, de place de prof. told us about? Dat realm dat only telepaths can get to?"

"Yeah."

"Olivia's been trapped dere for a couple hundred years. About six years ago, she find her way out an' start causin' problems 'round here. Dat's why I'm here; it's why I brought you here. To find a way to stop her from tormentin' everyone. She be de one who broke de lock on y' door."

"This still doesn't make any sense, Remy. How could she stay there for all that time? What about her body? An' why is she causin' problems now? An' what about Horst an' Mrs. Appley? They were there too."

"I'll explain everyt'in', I promise, _chere_," Remy stood up, his face was unreadable and it unnerved her. "Right now y' should rest. Olivia shouldn't be 'round f'r awhile anyway; she stirs up a bit o' trouble an' den she stays quiet f'r awhile. She shouldn't bother y' anymore t'night."

"Alright, Remy," Rogue said after a moment of studying his face. He was keeping something from her and she knew it but she felt exhausted and was willing to let it go for the time being. "Ah trust you."

"Dat all I ask," Remy leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Rest now."

"Y' leavin'? Rogue asked as he straightened up and started for the door.

"I have some t'ings t' take care of," he said as opened the door. "If y' need anyt'ing, pull dat rope by de bed an' someone'll come."

"But . . ." Rogue looked up at the silken rope dangling by her bedpost, wondering why she hadn't seen it before.

"I'll be in t' check on y' later," he said as he shut the door.

"Y' were in an awful hurry t' leave, shugah," Rogue muttered as she stared at her door. "Ah'm trustin' y' an' Ah hope that ain't a mistake."

Rogue turned over on her stomach and settled down under the covers, turning her head to watch the dancing flames in the fireplace. She wanted to trust Remy but there were millions of questions swirling around her head. If he didn't answer her questions in the morning, she would take matters into her own hands and find out herself. She was too tired now . . . how could she be this tired if she had slept for nine hours? On the up side her head had stopped hurting . . . she groaned as she felt a familiar heaviness pulling on her. The water! Damn him, he did it again! Their relationship really was fucked up, she thought as she let the drugged sleep take her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Yes, an update! After what? 5 years? Lol. I have missed these stories and am so glad people are still requesting updates. I'll try to finish kids though I don't think my writing it nearly as good as it used to be. Just bare with me and my rusty skills, let's see if I can do our favorite Southerners justice.**

With that dull ache in her head, Rogue hoisted herself out of bed, from the placement of the slight weak shadows cast by the anemic winter sunshine; she guessed that it was nearly noon. She was still slightly groggy; she really needed to find out just what Remy had been slipping her, and a little bruised from her altercation with that smelly, unprepossessing group outside. With a little less spring in her step than yesterday, she dragged herself into the bathroom and had no compunctions about indulging in the sunken bathtub for about an hour, letting the warm water work on her sore back. Throughout the bath, she purposely kept her thoughts from drifting to Remy and just what he was keeping from her. Thoughts of Olivia, the time skipping, ghost possessing and astralplane attempted to creep into her brain but she forced them out as well. Every time she thought about whatever convoluted schemes Remy had involved her in, her body began to tense up and she was bound and determined to relax if only for a little while. With little difficulty, she managed to haul herself out of the deep tub and into the shower, only slightly annoyed when she realized she was washing dried blood out of her hair. A tender bump at the back of her skull attested to just how rough the men were playing yesterday and she realized that if it hadn't been for Remy's following her, she might have not been standing there that morning. 'If it hadn't been for Remy, you wouldn't be here in the first place.' Rogue pushed the nagging voice aside as she wrapped herself in a towel and headed for the closet. Browsing through the collection of designer labels in that closet, she entertained the idea of walking about naked; it wasn't as though she went out much these days. Chuckling to herself, she nixed the idea, just picturing the looks on the faces of Horst and Mrs. Appley if she decided to just walk about without apparel. Up until now, she had toned down her appearance but today she decided to really get dolled up. Maybe if she put on the dog a little, she might be able to loosen the tongue of a certain Cajun. The notion was a little outdated but what the hell? She tried the vinegar, maybe it was time for the honey.

Standing in a matching black lace bra and panty set and a pair of nylons she had found in the drawers of the bureau, she put together a stunning ensemble; the nylons were shimmery-shear with a conspicuous black seam up the back of the legs. Odd that Remy had stocked the room with clothes in her unique style in such a short amount of time. Pulling out a knee length, black pencil skirt and paired it with a back short-sleeve top that had a conveniently placed cutout across her chest that gave a peek of her ample cleavage. The top was tight but made of a soft, lycra, as was the skirt and it clung to her in all the right places. To contrast the black, she found a pair of red, patent-leather heals with cunning little ankle strap that also fit perfectly. She did her hair in soft waves and her makeup dramatically to accentuate her features in a subtle; less is more type of way. All except for her lips which she painted red, cherry red and she only wished that she had time to do her nails to match but a glance in the mirror assured her that her efforts were sufficient. Tucking her necklace under the top so the pendant showed in the cut-out, Rogue headed over to the bed and tugged on the rope by the bed, wondering if it would bring Remy up or just Mrs. Appley. A few minutes later, she was dismayed when Mrs. Appley came in with a luncheon tray and a disapproving glance. There was no mention of the incident in the old bedchamber and Lady Olivia which Rogue found odd. She gave the older woman a superior smirk anyway and sent along a message that she wanted to see Remy, but after a few hours, the only person she saw was that woman.

As she watched the shadows grow longer, Rogue grew more and more irritated at Remy's absence. He hadn't even come up to see how she was fairing after her ordeal the day before. Tossing off the outfit she had spent so much time on earlier, she pulled out a long, white satin gown that seemed to be draped on her with no back and a low-cut bodice. It was a dress that seemed to have been made for Liz Taylor or Audrey Hepburn; she exchanged the red shoes for white but kept the red lipstick. After sending back her dinner tray untouched, she began to pace back and forth in front of the fireplace and when the ornate clock on the mantle struck six o'clock, she headed toward the door and made quick work of the lock on the door. Looking around the dark and deserted hallways that were decorated as richly as her room to make sure there weren't any other servants to alert Remy prematurely. After a quick check in the mirror, she headed in the direction of the lights from what she guessed was the main part of the house. A few moments later, she came to the wide main staircase and headed down to explore but stopped when she heard voices. One of the voices was that whiskey and molasses voice that sent shivers through her, another she recognized as Antoine's. Standing at the foot of the stair, she was debating fight or flight as they came into the massive foyer followed by three other men she hadn't seen before. The four men stopped when they saw her; all with different expressions and none she liked. Remy's was barely contained anger and something else she didn't recognize but they others watched her as though she were a being served up on a plate in front of them. They were all as handsome as Antoine though slightly less enigmatic and didn't hide their desires half as well.

"She's exquisite," one of them said to Remy and the others made similar statements as though she were a painting or sculpture and not a living woman drinking in every word. "How ever do you resist?"

"She's also not deaf, gentlemen," Rogue said with her chin jerking upward, none too pleased with their scrutinizing her. "An' Ah use that term very loosely."

"As you should," Antoine spoke up with a chuckle and took her hand to kiss it. "Horrible creatures, aren't they? They behold a beautiful woman and lose their manners. I ask for your forgiveness, my dear on their behalf and if you would grace us with your presence during dinner, I will personally make sure they are on their best behavior. I, of course, speak for myself when I say that I am very glad to see you again and would very much enjoy the presence of a lady at the table."

The sensation of that tall, dark stranger's lips brushing over her knuckles seemed to shock something inside her; and it wasn't the same wonderful, dizzying, hot sensation that Remy's touch gave her. This was more like a shot of ice water through her veins on the hottest day in July. Shocking, stunning and refreshing; it left one so needy for more that it was almost painful. Whereas Remy's touch was like hot, soothing molasses, rich and sweet, Antoine's touch was shockingly pleasurable. She felt like she had just stepped out of an overheated sauna into an invigorating snowstorm. She almost didn't realize that instead of clearing her head, the sensation muddled it, freezing her thoughts and her tongue in place. Her heartbeat shot up a notch and she graced him with a smile that she hoped was charming and not as ridiculous as she felt. She was suddenly aware that Remy was standing beside Antoine, barely concealed anger sliding just beneath his features. Anger and a jealousy that frightened her as much as the spell Antoine had cast on her momentarily but there was something else that she didn't understand. Fear, it was in his eyes as he watched Rogue and Antoine and it was enough to break the enchantment she seemed to be under.

"Horst," Remy moved over to the butler who was standing nearby, glowering at Rogue. "Show our guests t' th' dining room while I speak with the young lady for a moment, eh?"

Remy waited until they others were out of earshot before he turned on Rogue with rage making those glowing embers he called eyes blaze. "What are you doing here?! Do you 'ave any idea what you've done?"

"What am Ah doin'?" Remy's rage frightened her but she wasn't about to cower, especially since her temper could match his any day. "Y' ask me ta' trust you an' then you drug me… again! Ya keep me locked in that room day an' night without tellin' me what you're doing, barely explainin' about that telepath who can plop her ol' psyche inta anyone she wants… Ah was shipped back 500 years yesterday with those two spooks ya call servants! What the hell do ya think Ah'm doin' out here?! I want answers LeBeau or Ah swear-"

"Keep ya voice, down!" Remy hissed. "You wanna know what's goin' on? Well I'll tell you. Those are some very dangerous men in there an' you just exposed yourself t' them."

"Exposed mahself-"

He didn't hear the rest of her rant; he was suddenly struck by how breathtaking she was when she was angry. Her emerald eyes were blazing, her cheeks were flushed and her chest heaving with her indignation; how he wanted to strip off that lovely gown and make love to her then and there. Her hands fisted at her sides as she let him have it again but he didn't know what she said though he noticed that her accent thickened like honey coating her words. Gripping her suddenly, he shut her up the only way he knew how. He kissed her; long and hard; wrapping her tightly in his arms to avoid her flailing arms until she stopped struggling against him. Her arms ceased their flailing and her body fairly melted into his. She responded to his kisses, her arms sliding up around his neck and pressing her body to his. After a moment, he reluctantly pulled back. "Damn you," she whispered, her eyes still closed. Remy chuckled and kissed her again softly before releasing her. What he really wanted to do was carry her up those stairs and when she opened her eyes, he saw the same desire mirrored in those emerald orbs.

"Go upstairs, sweet," he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. "You 'ave no idea what these men are capable of. As soon as I can, I'll be up an' explain everyt'ing, I promise."

"Remy…" Rogue let out a sigh and resigned. "Alright, but please don't make me regret this."

Remy watched her turn and head back up the stairs to her room before moving toward the dining room. Once back inside her room, Rogue stared at her empty room and slumped into one of her brocade chairs, listening to the soft tick from the clock on the mantle and the wind howling outside the window. She couldn't stand the silence, couldn't stand this room. She had the urge to break something, to crash something in that perfect room but she didn't. She just slumped down in her chair until something caught her eye. A movement from the corner of her eye made her sit up and look for the source. It was the tapestry on the wall flapping slightly. Rising, she strode over to investigate and moving the tapestry aside, she saw that the door behind it was open. It struck her as odd since she would have thought that Remy had locked it again. Bored out of her skull, she made up her mind to creep into the passageway and finish exploring the older portion of the house. After several minutes, she found herself back in Olivia's bedchamber… she didn't even remember heading in that direction. Turning around in the moonlight soaked room, she took in the eerily still scene and shivered as she realized that she was still wearing that silly satin gown. The room was drafty; she wrapped her arms around herself and wished Remy were there with her. As the cold crept in around her, a feeling of dread came along with it and tugged at her with its icy, skeletal fingers. The dread hitched up tenfold along with her heartbeat and breathing, and as for breathing, she beginning to have difficulty doing that.

"Ah need t' get outta here…" Rogue said aloud to the empty room but she felt like her feet were glued to the floor. Her chest felt like it was constricted with iron bands…

"No."

She knew that voice. Rogue turned to see Olivia in all her frightening, beautiful glory and not just a reflection this time. "I need your help. I won't stay trapped this way and I won't let them get away with what they did!"

The ghostly woman's green eyes seemed to glow as she seemed to float closer and closer. Those glowing green eyes were the last thing Rogue remembered before everything went dark.


End file.
